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Leonard Bernstein
' Leonard Bernstein' (August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American composer, conductor, author, music lecturer, and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim. According to music critic Donal Henahan, he was "one of the most prodigiously talented and successful musicians in American history." His fame derived from his long tenure as the music director of the New York Philharmonic, from his conducting of concerts with most of the world's leading orchestras, and from his music for West Side Story, Peter Pan, Candide,Wonderful Town, On the Town, On The Waterfront, his Mass, and a range of other compositions, including three symphonies and many shorter chamber and solo works. Bernstein was the first conductor to give numerous television lectures on classical music, starting in 1954 and continuing until his death. He was a skilled pianist, often conducting piano concertos from the keyboard. As a composer he wrote in many styles encompassing symphonic and orchestral music, ballet, film and theatre music, choral works, opera, chamber music and pieces for the piano. Many of his works are regularly performed around the world, although none has matched the tremendous popular and commercial success of West Side Story. Tossup Questions # This composer wrote a symphony that can now only officially be performed with special narration written by Samuel Pisar. A choral piece by this man includes a part for boy treble or countertenor, which is meant to evoke the child David. Before a 1962 performance of Brahms's first piano concerto with Glenn Gould, this man asked, "Who is the boss—the soloist or the conductor?" He wrote his third symphony in honor of the recently murdered John F. Kennedy, but it was later revised with new narration about the Holocaust. This composer of the Kaddish Symphony staged a popular series of "Young People's Concerts" where he explained musical terms. For 10 points, name this longtime director of the New York Philharmonic and composer of West Side Story. # In one work by this composer, a flute solo addresses various members of the choir before a previously unseen member sings, "Sing God a Secret Song." In that piece by this composer, the Celebrant angrily hurls the communion but is later calmed with an Agnus Dei called "Things Get Broken." In one of his symphonies, a solo piano opens a section called "The Dirge," before which a clarinet duet opens "The Seven (*) Ages" and "The Seven Stages." Besides his second symphony, The Age of Anxiety, this man used a boys' choir that sings in Aramaic for his work commemorating the death of John F. Kennedy, Kaddish. For 10 points, name this longtime music director of the New York Philharmonic, known for composing the music to West Side Story. # A work by this composer was the basis for Symphonic Dances orchestrated by Irwin Kostal and Sid Ramin including "Mambo" and "Cha-Cha". In one of his works, one singer depicts both Julia Grant and Lucy Hayes after the election of 1876 in "Duet for One". Hildy the taxi driver sings "I Can Cook Too" in a work by him in which three sailors on shore leave sing "New York, New York". The Old Lady sings "I Am Easily Assimilated" in a work by him that includes "Glitter and Be Gay". This composer of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and On the Town wrote the music for a work in which a character suggests that "Miss America should just resign" in "I Am Pretty", while Tony claims there's "music playing" if you say her name loud in the song "Maria". That musical depicts the gang rivalry between the Sharks and the Jets. For 10 points, name this composer of Candide and West Side Story. # This composer parodied Gounod's Air des Bijoux in a coloratura aria that requires the soprano to laugh hysterically while declaring, "If I'm not pure, at least my jewels are!" That aria, "Glitter and Be Gay," is sung by Cunegonde in this man's opera Candide. In another of his compositions, a girl feels "pretty and witty and gay" in a bridal shop after being serenaded by Tony, who is delighted that he has "just met a girl named Maria." For 10 points, identify this composer who depicted a conflict between the Jets and the Sharks in his musical West Side Story. # This man composed a ballet centering around Khonnon and Leah, titled Dybbuk. He composed the music to the operetta Candide, and dedicated his Kaddish Symphony to John F. Kennedy. This composer follows the Book of Lamentations in his Symphony No. 1, "Jeremiah," but he is best known for songs like "Cool," "A Boy Like That," and "Somewhere," about the conflict between the Jets and the Sharks. For 10 points, name this conductor and composer of the music to West Side Story.